Editing Lede, Belgium (section)

==Sights==
Lede is known for a statue of [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|the Virgin Mary]], inside the Martin's Church, called "''Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-van-Zeven-Smarten''" ([[Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows]]), to which a local legend attributes miraculous powers, such as healing of diseases.  The statue attracts many [[pilgrimage|pilgrims]]. The statue is taken around in a procession during a Sunday in June, after the biannual nine-day festival. The local church, built in 1496, houses the statue.
[[File:Sint Martinus Kerk Lede.jpg|thumb|St. Martin's Church, Lede]]

The former [[Mesen Castle]] was situated in central Lede. It used to be the residence of the [[Marquess of Lede]] until its family line died out in the early 19th century. It was used as a private girls' school until it closed in the 1970s. It began to fall into ruins by the 1990s. The local authorities began to demolish parts of the castle in 2010, despite protests from the local population to preserve it. But most of the structure was completely torn down by 2015. The former castle gardens still exist as a park.

[[File:Kasteel van Mesen, Lede (DSCF0372).jpg|thumbnail|none|Castle of Mesen, Lede]]